Monday, January 30, 2012

The first step of planning a Disney Vacation is to book your accommodations. Whether you are planning to stay on Disney property or off, vacancies fill up fast, so plan accordingly. My family's favorite on-property resort is Disney's Beach Club. If you have not had the opportunity to tour this amazing resort, you should definitely stop by on your next trip to WDW. There are so many wonderful things about the Beach Club, but I have narrowed it down to the top 3 reasons we will keep going back.

1) Location: The Beach Club is a Disney Vacation Club Resort located next door to EPCOT. And when I say next door, I mean next door. With two young children in tow, it usually takes us about 5-10 minutes to walk there. And rather than enter through the front entrance, you get to enter through the World Showcase just past England. This is amazing in the morning because the World Showcase doesn't actually open until 11:00am and the streets of England and Canada are completely empty. This makes for great photo opportunities. The Beach Club is also located right across the "lake" from the Boardwalk. Another 5-10 minute walk and we are immersed in the Boardwalk experience, including great smells, amazing food, and fun street performers. The Beach Club is also only a short boat to Disney's Hollywood Studios and a short monorail trip to the Magic Kingdom. I am not big on crowded bus rides, so this is perfect for me.

2) Pool: Don't let the word pool fool you. The Beach Club's Stormalong Bay is not your ordinary Disney pool. Stormalong Bay is 3 acres of fun in the sun (plus how many pools do you know of that have sand on the bottom?). The pool is broken off into several different sections. So if you get a chance to stay at the Beach Club or Yacht Club, make sure to try them all. My kids love the shallow water with the sandy beach to build their castles on. It is like a beach for kids who are afraid of the ocean. My favorite part is the Lazy Susan type area. The water is deep, so grab a inner tube, relax, and let the jets push you gently around. My hubbies favorite part is the Shripwreck Water Slide. Both of my kids loved it too, but if yours are a little hesitant, there is a smaller slide near the same entrance.

3) Food: One of my favorite parts of going on vacation is that I get to eat great food (and I don't have to cook). The Beach Club is the home of two of my favorite buffets and my absolute favorite ice cream. Cape May Cafe offers a delicious character breakfast that is not usually crowded. When it comes to character meals, this is a definite plus because the characters spend more time at your table. On our last visit, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Chip and Dale all visited our table twice. They had fun playing around with the kids and it wasn't the same old, hug the character, take a picture, and say goodbye. Cape May also offers a delicious seafood buffet for dinner. I can not say enough good things about this meal. There was something for everyone, including my favorite snow crab legs and my husbands favorite BBQ ribs. For dinner the tables were covered in white paper and the kids were encouraged to doodle on the "tablecloth". Everyone had a great time. Beaches and Cream is a 50's type ice cream parlor. Not only do they serve amazing hamburgers, but the ice cream is out of this world. We never leave WDW without stopping in for a creamy ice cream cone or milkshake. If for some reason, none of the meals interest you, you are short walk away from the Yacht Club and their famous steaks or EPCOT and the World Showcase.

Have you traveled to Disney World? Where did you stay? Would you stay there again? Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!